Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

RBC Brewin Dolphin proudly supporting Afloat and Irish Boating

European Sea Ports Organisation Joins EU Charter for Restoring Oceans & Waters

30th March 2026
ESPO has joined the European Union’s Charter, where ports play a role in protecting marine ecosystems.
ESPO has joined the European Union’s Charter, where ports play a role in protecting marine ecosystems. Credit: ESPO

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has officially joined the European Union’s ‘Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters’ Charter.

This recognition highlights the central role European ports play in protecting marine ecosystems and driving the transition to a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy.

By endorsing the Charter, ESPO aligns its actions with three core EU objectives for 2030: restoring biodiversity, eliminating pollution, and achieving a sustainable, carbon-neutral blue economy.

Active Support from the ESPO Secretariat

The ESPO Secretariat will play a hands-on role in raising awareness and fostering engagement among its members by sharing best practices and port-led projects.

To support the mission, the Secretariat has committed to the following key actions:

  • Public Endorsement: Officially endorsing the Mission Charter and communicating this commitment to the wider maritime sector.
  • Member Engagement: Encouraging ESPO members and the broader network to endorse the Charter and submit their own environmental actions.
  • Policy Dialogue: Discussing Mission actions and marine policy within the ESPO Sustainable Development Committee during its bi-annual meetings.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Featuring marine-related port projects on the dedicated 'best practices' page of the ESPO website.
  • Active Participation: Representing the port sector at Mission Ocean events as both attendees and expert speakers.

Because our ports rely on healthy waters, we are dedicated to playing our part in improving the state of our oceans for the future.

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button